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Table of Contents
Title
Apples to Apples: Do Different Kinds of Apples Brown at Different Rates?Problem Scenario
My question is worth asking because the answer can tell people which kind of apple to choose when using apples that are uncooked and need to be sliced and peeled and that need to be left out for a long period of time. This data will help people choose which kind of apples to use if they want the type of apple that browns the least.Broad Question
Do some kinds of apples brown quicker than others?Specific Question
Do McIntosh, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, or Granny Smith apples have different levels of brown after two hours?Hypothesis
I think that the McIntosh and Red Delicious apples will be the most brown after two hours because when peeled they already seem browner than other kinds of apples. I think the Granny Smith and Golden Delicious apples will have the least amount of brown after two hours because they are already really white when they are peeled, so maybe that will make them brown slower.Graph of Hypothesis
Variables
Independent Variable:
Types of apples.Dependent Variable:
Amount of brown on the apple.Variables That Need To Be Controlled:
Apples need to be peeled at the same time.Number of apples used in my experiment.
Each apple needs to be left out for two hours.
Vocabulary List That Needs Explanation
Enzyme: A substance produced by a living organism. Compound: Something that is made of two or more separate parts. Chemically Combines: When two things merge into one compound.General Plan
The first thing to do in my experiment is to create a scale of brown. The scale of brown will be what the other apples are based on after they have been browning for two hours, To make the scale of brown, take a picture of an apple every fifteen minutes for three hours and then glue the pictures on paper and label them with the correct levels (The first picture taken is level one, the second picture taken is level two, etc). After the scale is made, take the different kinds of apples and let them brown for two hours. After two hours take pictures of the peeled slices. Match up the pictures to the levels of brown. The kinds of apples that matched up to higher levels were the ones that browned the most in the two hours.Potential Problems And Solutions
There are not many problems that I encountered while doing my experiment. One problem was forgetting to take a picture of the apple either while making the scale of brown, or after the apple had been sitting for two hours. The solution to this problem is to set a timer, so when it's time to take a picture the timer will go off. This is the only potential problem I encountered during my experiment.Safety Or Environmental Concerns
In my experiment there was only one safety concern. Cutting yourself is a big concern while cutting and peeling the apples. To try to avoid cutting yourself, always cut and peel with the knife facing away from you. This is the only safety concern I found while performing my experiment.Experimental Design
Number Of Trials:
There were four trials in my experiment.Number Of Subjects In Each trial:
There were two subjects in each of my trials.When data will be collected:
Data was collected after the apple slices browned for two hours.Number of Observations:
There were eight observations.Where will data be collected?:
I did my experiment and collected my data at my house.Resources and Budget Table
Data Table
Background Research:
When experimenting with apples there are many factors to consider. Why do apples brown? What do apples contain? What are the differences between various types of apples? When concluding this experiment these factors may help the understating of what the results are and the reasoning for them.When you slice and peel an apple the inside turns brown. Apples turn brown because they contain an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase, which most plants have. When this enzyme is exposed to oxygen the enzyme combines chemically with the oxygen. This compound reacts with acids or proteins in the apple and the apple turns brown.
Apples contain all kind of nutrients, including carbohydrates, fats, protein, vitamins, and minerals. The kinds of carbohydrates are dietary fiber, starch, and sugar. The fats and fatty acids found in apples are polyunsaturated fat, omega-3 fatty acids, and omega-6 fatty acids. There are many kinds of vitamins in apples including vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, Vitamin B6, niacin, and foltate. Minerals are also found in apples and they include calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and fluoride. Apples of all kinds include many of the nutrients that we need in a healthy lifestyle.
There are all kinds of apples and all of them have differences, from the color of their skin to their taste. The color of their skin ranges from dark reds, bright greens, and shades of yellow. Some apple skins can even have more than one color, like the McIntosh apple which is red and green. All apples look about the same after you peel the skin. Different kinds of apples can also taste different. Some apples are very tart like the Granny Smith apples and some are sweet like the Honeycrisp apples. There are a lot of kinds of apples and all of them look and taste different.
Many factors need to be considered when experimenting with apples. The reasoning behind the browning of apples is one important factor. The nutrients in apples is another important factor. And lastly, how various types of apples differ is another factor. Dealing with apples may seem easy, but actually there is a lot to understand when experimenting with apples.
References
McLandsborough, Lynne. "Why Do Apple Slices Turn Brown after Being Cut?: Scientific American." Science News, Articles and Information. Scientific American, 30 July 2007. Web. 07 Apr. 2012. <http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=experts-why-cut-apples-turn-brown>."Apple Nutrition." Nutrition. University of Illinois Extension. Web. 07 Apr. 2012. <http://urbanext.illinois.edu/apples/nutrition.cfm>.
"Nutrition Facts." And Analysis for Apples, Raw, with Skin [Includes USDA Commodity Food A343]. Self Nutrition Data. Web. 07 Apr. 2012. <http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1809/2>.
"PickYourOwn.org." All about Apple Varieties. Web. 07 Apr. 2012. <http://www.pickyourown.org/apples.htm>.
"What Makes Apples Go Brown?" WikiAnswers. Answers. Web. 07 Apr. 2012. <http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_makes_apples_go_brown>.
Helmenstine, Anne M. "Why Do Cut Apples Pears Bananas and Potatoes Turn Brown?"About.com Chemistry. The New York Times Company. Web. 07 Apr. 2012. <http://chemistry.about.com/od/chemistryfaqs/f/brownapplefaq.htm>.
Detailed Procedure
1. Peel one apple of any kind.2. Slice the apple into eight slices.
3. Use one of the slices and take pictures of it every fifteen minutes for three hours.
4. Print pictures.
5. Starting with the first picture taken and leading up to the last picture taken, glue pictures on to a piece of paper from top to bottom.
6. Label the first picture "Level One", label the second picture "Level Two", etc... until all pictures have been labeled with a level.
7. Peel one McIntosh apple.
8. Slice apple into eight slices.
9. Let two of the slices brown for two hours.
10. Take a picture of each slice.
11. Peel one Granny Smith apple.
12. Repeat steps 8-10 with the Granny Smith apple.
13. Peel one Golden Delicious apple.
14. Repeat steps 8-10 with the Golden Delicious apple.
15. Peel one Red Delicious apple.
16. Repeat steps 8-10 with the Red Delicious apple.
17. Print all pictures.
18. Match all the pictures with the labeled pictures on the scale.
Diagram
All Raw Data
Graphs
Photos
Data Analysis
My graph shows that the Granny Smith apple did not brown a lot after two hours and that one of the slices was the least brown out of all eight apple slices after two hours. The Golden Delicious apple was the second to least brown after the two hours, with both slices at Level 7. The McIntosh apple was browner than the Granny Smith and Golden Delicious apples, but the slices were not as brown as the Red Delicious apple. The McIntosh apple slices were at Levels 7 and 9. The Red Delicious apple was the most brown after the two hours and with both slices at Level 11.Conclusion
My hypothesis is that the McIntosh and Red Delicious apples will have browned the most after the two hours because when peeled they already seem more brown than the other kinds of apples. I think the Granny Smith and Golden Delicious apples will have browned the least after the two hours because they are not brown at all when peeled and maybe that will cause them to brown slower. I support my hypothesis because the Red Delicious apple did brown the most after two hours and the McIntosh apple was the second most brown after two hours. The Granny Smith apple was the least brown after two hours and the Golden Delicious apple was the second to least brown after the two hours.Discussion
There are a few patterns in my data. One pattern is that some of the apples were at the same levels of brown after the two hours and others were at different level of brown after the two hours. The Golden Delicious and the Red Delicious apples were at the same levels of brown after the two hours. The Granny Smith and McIntosh apples were at different levels of brown after the two hours. In my experiment I found errors that could be fixed with the right solutions. One error might be when I matched the pictures up to the scale, I might have matched it up wrong. A solution could be to have more people match the pictures up to the scale and then find the mode of their answers. Another problem is that I might forget to take a picture of the apple and the solution is to set a timer. It might be helpful to know some additional information such as the reason that apples brown, the nutrients in apples, and how various kinds of apples are different. This information would be helpful because it would make the results to the question, "Do McIntosh, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, and Granny Smith apples brown at different rates?" make more sense and it would make the results easier to understand. If I was going to continue this study I would use other kinds of apples that I didn't use in this study. I would also have other people match up the pictures to the scale and find the mode of what other people said. Another thing I would do is have the apples brown for more than two hours or less than two hours to see if the results differed. For example, I might let the apples brown for one hour or three hours and then I could see if the Red Delicious is still the most brown after that period of time and if the Granny Smith still has the least amount of brown after that period of time.Benefit to Community and/or Science
One benefit is that if someone wanted to have uncooked, peeled and sliced apples, this data will help them choose the kinds of apples that will brown the least after a period of time. Another benefit is that the people who sell apples will know which apple to sell for different uses. For example, if someone needs to have sliced and peeled apples and didn't want them to brown quickly, the seller would know to sell more Granny Smith apples to them instead of Red Delicious apples. Sometimes restaurants serve apples and they might want apples that do not brown quickly when sliced and/or peeled. The restaurant may not want to add anti-browning ingredients to the apples that may change the taste of the apple or is harmful in some way. The solution is to use apples that do not brown as quickly as other apples, such as Granny Smith apples.Abstract
In my experiment I was testing whether different kinds of apples browned at different rates. This is an important question because the answer can help people decide which kind of apple to choose when using uncooked apples that need to be sliced and peeled. I made a scale of brown for the apples by taking pictures of an apple slice every fifteen minutes for three hours. Then I labeled each picture with the correct level of brown, beginning with level one. I then tested McIntosh, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, and Granny Smith apples. In the end I found out that that Red Delicious apple was the most brown in two hours, the McIntosh apple was the second most brown after two hours, the Golden Delicious apple was the second to least brown after the two hours, and the Granny Smith apple was the least brown after two hours.